Pin-setter for bowling-alleys.



E. SGHLOSSBERG.

PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 19, 1913.

1,080,373. Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

\ I I I INVENTOR A TTORNEVS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL SCI-ILOSSBERG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIN-SETTER FOR BOWLING-ALLEYS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EldIL Sonnossnnno, a subject of the Czar of Russia,and a resident. of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedPin-Setter for Bowling-Alleys, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to a game known as tenpins, and has reference moreparticularl to means for centering the pins, WhlCl means comprise a.plate or platform provided with openings for the pins and means foractuating the plate.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive pinsetter which is formed of few and strong parts, none of which can easilyget out of order.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pin setter which willindicate to the players that the pins are set in the proper places.

The invention consists of the construction and combination of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and fully set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which like characters indicate correspondingparts in all the views and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is asection on line 2-2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theplate by means of which the platform is raised or lowered.

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents a platform, preferably made ofwood fiber, and provided with a plate 6, made of iron, constituting abacking for the fiber and preventing same from warping. The reason I usefiber is that ordinary wood after a little time, under the rollingaction of the balls, becomes worn out and requires frequent repairing.The platform 5 and the plate 6 are provided with ten openings 7 properlydisposed according to the rules of the game. Engaging these openings arestuds 8, also preferably made of fiber, rigidly set into bed 9. Theportion of the studs 8 projecting above the bed 9 is exactly equal tothe combined thickness of the fiber piece 5 and the iron piece 6.Thatis, when the platform rests on the bed 9 the upper surfaces of thestuds 8 are flush with the upper surface of Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 19, 1913.

Patented Dec. 2,1 913.

Serial No. 768,513.

the platform. The diameter of the openings 7 is slightly larger than thediameter of the base of the pin 10 used in the game. It is about equalto the diameter of the pin oneeighth of an inch above the base.

The bed 9, which is in contour similar to the platform, is centrallyprovided with a recess 11, into which is fitted a plate 12 adapted toturn on the bolt 13 secured to the bed 9, substantially in the center ofsame and of the plate 12. The plate 12 is providedv with a recess M forthe head of the bolt 13, so that the head is substantially flush withthe lower surface of the plate and the plate itself with the head isslightly below the lowermost surface of the bed 9. The opposite or uppersurface of the plate 19. is provided with recesses 15 adjacent theperiphery of the plate, and also with inclines 16 leading from therecesses to the upper surface of the plate.

The iron plate 6 is provided witlrvertical studs 17, the free ends ofwhich carry balls 18 normally resting in the recesses 15 of the plate12, that is, when the platform is resting on the bed. The plate 12 isprovided with an arm 19 rigidly secured to the body of the plate 12through the lateral surface of the sameand by means of which the platecan be turned on the bolt 13. \Vhen the plate 12 is turned in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, that is, from the positionshown in the dotted line in Fig. 1 to the position shown in full line insame figure, the incline 16 causes the studs 17 to rise, whichnecessarily forces the platform associated with the studs to rise, theplatform bein guided not only by the studs 17 but also by the studs 8engaging the openings 7 of the platform.

lVhen the platform is in position as shown in Fig. 2 the studs 8 arebelow the upper surface of the platform about an eighth of an inch. Thusthe pins 10 can be placed on the studs 8, being guided by the recessesformed between the upper surface of the platform and the studs. Then, bymoving the arm 19 to the position indicated in dotted line of Fig. 1,the platform is lowered on to the bed 9, the pins remaining unmoved onthe studs 8. The contact of the platform with the bed makes a positivesupport for the platform, so that the same cannot lag when the balls arerolling over the platform. The ball 18, positioned in the stud 17, isset in the stud so it cannot drop out from the end of the stud, becausewhen the platform is resting on the bed the ball 18 is slightly abovethe bottom of the recess 15 of the plate 12, for the purpose of giving aperfect sup port to the platform on the bed.

The bed 9, in theslot for the arm 19, is provided with electric contacts20 leading to a hell or annunciator to indicate each new setting; notonly for the purpose of control butalso to indicate to the players thatthe platform has been raised from the bed. The contact 20 is operatedwhen the arm 19 is in position indicated in Fig. 1, in full line. If thesetter puts the pins on the platform and not in the recesses formed bythe openings 7 and the studs 8, when the platform is lowered the pins onthe same will come down with the platform, and the players will detectthe movement of the pins, thus having a proof that the pins are not setin the proper place. The recesses formed by the pins 7 and the studs 8afford a quick and easy placement for the pins; and, furthermore, theso-raised platform forms a guide for the pins on the studs 8 before theplatform is lowered.

I The bed 9, which carries the platform and the mechanism for raisingand lowering the platform, is rigidly attached to beams 21, forming partof the alleys, and which carry the remalning framework of the alleys. Asseen from the drawing, when the platform is resting on the bed 9 theframe 19 is located within the framework of the alleys, and is in no wayexposed to injury by the balls or pins used for the play, nor are theother parts of the mechanism in any way exposed to strain when the gameis played, as the plate 12 is then not carrying the load of theplatform, which rests directly on the bed 9, as previously stated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a

bed; studs on said bed, each adapted to the openings in said platformforming recesses in combination with the studs substantially as setforth. v

2. In a device of the class described, a

bed; studs in said bed, each adapted to' carry a pin; a platform havingopenings engaging said studs and normally resting on said bed; a platein said bed, said platform having guiding means in said bed and inengagement with said plate; means for rotating said plate in said bed,said plate hav ing means adapted to be engaged by the guiding means ofthe platform whereby the upper surface of the platform can'be raisedabove the end of said stud, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a device of the class described, a bed; studs in said bed, eachadapted to carry a pin; a platform having-openings engaging said studsnormally resting on said bed; a plate having cam surfaces positioned insaid bed; means extending from the platform to said cam surface of saidplate; and means for rotating said plate from the outside of said bedwhereby said platform can be raised above the end of said studssubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL SCHLOSSBERG.

' Witnesses:

MAX STEVENS, O. FRANK.

